Bandit: Yes, That's Actually My Name
by Jinx Kalantha
Summary: Just a fanfic about a Jamie falling in love with the narrator, a girl named Bandit. Bandit, not fully learning that it was normal for a boy to be into you, is still very confuzzled by Jamie and his fuzzy warm feelings. Life goes on, yadda yadda, the community is exposed, and everyone has to flush out, run away and hide. Stick around for the fun!
1. Kidnapped or found?

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE HOST. STEPHANIE MYER DOES. IT WOULD BE SWEEET IF I DID, THOUGH.**

Chapter 1

_I was starving. Bandit was, too, so I had to work all the faster. I just pictured her in my mind, too lean for her age, her cheeks still stubbornly plump because of her dimples, her short, silky cap of black hair, the bangs that hovered over her adorable eyebrows, her cherry-red lips, and her soft, delicate snow-white skin. I thought of that hungry look in her wide hazel eyes, so innocent and undeserving of this life. It was better than being a parasite, at least. I hoped she was all right—not taking pictures with that old camera, wandering around and taping the pictures into her photo album. She was so ambitious, determined to be a photographer. But her world was gone, and she couldn't be a photographer, no matter how great her skill was. All she could be now was a survivor._

_ I panted as I skidded to a stop in front of the glass door. I peered into the windows, taking in what I could see—which was only the empty house. You can tell when the parasites are in our houses—they're so fond of lights. Nightlights especially, but they only have them on when they're there. So stupid._

_ I eased the sliding glass door open and slipped inside, loading my bags with food. I unload the fridge, and after a decisive second, I grab a carton of milk. I hurry to the cupboard, and find a pack of Oreos—Bandit's favorite. We can eat them with the milk to celebrate her tenth birthday. I know that it's been a week since, but I wish that I had done something special to mark the day. I can make it up with milk and cookies tonight. I close the cupboards with a heavy bang, and my heart stutters. That was loud—too loud. I shoulder my heavy bags, and I'm about to charge through the front door when the light turns on. _

_ I'm a rabbit caught in headlights—only when the little parasite girl screams can I move again. The bodies of her parents hurry downstairs and call the Seekers. I kick the front door down and run outside. I have no idea where to go—just away from Bandit. I don't want them to find her. I would rather die than put that kid in jeopardy._

_As I streak through the forests, tripping over branches and roots in my hurry, I can hear footsteps and shouting. I should have left Maryland—I knew it! But I never did. _

_ My heart cries out when I find myself in camp. The Seekers are at least five miles behind—I give myself five minutes. I'm not a fast runner, but I can take any one of these forest obstacles and steep mountains in seconds. I can't see Emily—she's probably off at the stream! I'm not going to shout for her, because then they'll look for her. She's tucked away in a safe space with her valuables, and no one will find her, I'm sure of it. By the time she comes back, my body will probably be gone. I climb up the tallest pine, and as the needles snap and I breathe in their scent, I can remember that's what Bandit's hair smells like. I'm at a moment of bliss; only the tree and me exist in this world now._

_As the top sways, I lean forward, so only my legs are wrapped around the pine. I'll fall headfirst and die on impact, since I'm definitely higher up than twenty feet. _

_As I fall, all I can think about is the pleasant breeze blowing in my face…_

_-XxX-_

I wander aimlessly through the dusty, flat desert, and my stomach growls to remind me how hungry I am. Like I need reminding.

I need to go to civilization—I think I'm in Tucson. I'm not sure—maybe just some other part of Arizona; I'm not sure. I pause and snap a picture of the surrounding wildlife. I'm unbearably hot; maybe it's just me, though. I hate being in the desert. I love the forests, but I've been forced to come here. I've been being tracked, all the way to Arizona, but I'm making a mental U-turn in my mind that will take me back to Maryland. If I live that long.

The thought of going straight into a desert is horrifying to me; I'm deathly afraid of getting lost and dying of dehydration. And if that doesn't happen, I'll die of skin cancer; my pale skin is _not_ meant for the sun. I don't tan, I burn. And on the few occasions that I don't burn, I bleach. It's weird coming out of a day of sun to find that I'm whiter than before. I bet I make Snow White look black.

I wait for the picture to develop, and then I paste it in my photo album using sap from strange little ferns, growing here and there, almost completely deprived of water. The pictures in my album are in order, showing my life: There are pictures of my run-down little house. Next to that is my family, all caught off guard when I took the picture. I don't take pictures of anything prepared, or else it seems fake. After the normal pictures, there's one of my dad as he just came home from a long trip. When the flash caught his eyes, the photo came out as a blinding picture, just multiple reflections of bright, silvery eyes covering the top half of the picture. That was the day when I decided to run away—six years old, barely understanding what was going on. The following photographs are of Tyler and his older sister, blonde-haired and tan skinned, when they first found me and "adopted" me. Then there's a picture of Sophie, with her eyes like my father when I took a picture of her, just as she came through the trees. For the next two years it was just Tyler and I. On one page, a completely empty page, is Tyler, his neck at an awkward angle and his eyes full of sky.

For the next four years it's just been me.

I've been fine—besides the crippling loneliness. I feel cold and hard on the inside. I assess each situation perfectly, watching and waiting. Patience is the key to my answers—that, and I am a master of the poker face. It's easy, since I don't really have any time for drama. Just surviving. I keep my own strict rules that I find are essential to my lifestyle:

**1.** Don't enter 24-hours-a-day stores or buildings

**2.** Don't go into extremely populated buildings: hospitals, schools, work buildings, airports, so on and so forth.

**3.** NEVER enter cities.

**4.** Only steal food when necessary.

**5.** If you're not sure the house or building is empty, don't enter it.

**6.** If being chased, do not stop and rest. Run until you've lost whomever is chasing you, and then keep running.

**7.** Don't stop for anyone or anything keep moving, no matter what.

**8.** You can't trust anyone, human or not.

**9.** If captured, do anything to escape. No exceptions.

**10.** Never let them get you alive. Let the parasites enjoy dealing with a corpse.

I crouch, watching the truck. I strain my ears, listening to the parasites talk friendlily to each other, insisting politely on information they heard that didn't agree with each other.

"Falling Upwards informed me that the truck was to be parked next to the building."

"Glittering Ice told me to have the truck parked across from the building."

"Hmm. Well, I suppose we could. I surely don't want to go against any information that you value…"

"And neither do I. Why don't we park the truck in the lot halfway to the building? It seems to be the most convenient and safest way."

"That's a perfect idea! Thank you!"

"My pleasure!" And they shake hands. I spy the truck, the side labeled with labels that don't make sense to me. I've always had a hard time reading, never having time to clearly learn it. As they parked the truck and began unloading, I crept closer, keeping to the shadows. I waited for a parasite to turn his back to me, and stole two cases from the truck. I ran across the asphalt, my feet falling quietly on the ground as I quickly lifted them up to drop them lightly again. I swore under my breath when I heard people shouting after me. I dropped one of the cases, losing the weight and adding on speed. The hunt would start up once again.

I stopped, breathing hard, ending my long run in a small cave. I drop the heavy box at my feet and proceed to rip it open, my stomach growling hungrily. My eyes rest on packets of trail mix—I tear the top of one packet off with my teeth and start to shovel it into my mouth. To my delight, it has M&Ms in it. By the time I'm finished with four packets, my mouth and throat is terribly dry and I'm in need of water. I shove all the packs I can into my tattered backpack, which is mondo sized, and I start to jog.

I find myself cold as I climb out of the ditch. I can't run back to the unloading dock, oh no—way too stupid of an idea to consider—but I can run into the plain desert. My heart beats faster in my chest and I swallow hard. When it comes to fight or flight, I've never been good at deciding. When I see them come up in a jeep, my mind thinks like a rabbit and I run. When I twist my head, I can see the jeep approach closer with its dust cloud—and is that a moving truck? —I shake the thought out of my mind, lower my head and run even faster, my muscles aching and screaming at me.

. Just when I think they're going to turn me into a pancake, they pull up ahead of me, and hop out of their jeep. Not too far behind is the moving truck. I grit my teeth. What's in store this time? Guns, maybe? Tranquilizer darts? Chloroformed rags? Who knows? I've been chased with all three before.

"Hey!" A tall, sun-browned young woman shouts to me, waving her arms over her head. I stare blankly at her, narrowing my eyes. I'm not blind. She smiles as she approaches, and I shift my weight to the back some. I can see a small pink scar on her neck—but when the sun catches in her eyes, there is no silvery glow. It doesn't matter. I don't trust her. I don't trust anyone—not humans, not parasites. They're equally threatening in their own ways. I take a few steps back before the rest get out, smiling as they walk towards me. A tall, tan man with blonde streaked hair walks up next to the woman, and a man with black hair and fair skin walks up, with an even younger woman next to him, probably in her late teens or early twenties. She looks like an angel, her golden hair floating around her head. The sun catches in everyone's eyes, and there's no silvery reflection. Except with the angelic girl. I felt like I could see the parasite enveloping her—of course, she has to be nice or else she wouldn't be with humans. I realize that. But I'm not about to trust these people—I refuse to go near them. I turn on my heel and run, as fast as I can until—BAM! In the face and out of nowhere! I run into a tall man, who looks frighteningly similar to the black-haired man from the jeep. He grabs me by wrists and twists my arms behind my back. I scream and struggle, crying out as my arms are twisted even farther as I struggle.

The others shout at the man angrily, and I'm released. When the man with blonde-streaked hair tries to touch me, I kick him in the groin and begin to run again. Someone laughs, but I'm quickly tackled and gagged, my wrists tied firmly to my hands.

"Jesus, that kid is determined…"

"Why did you tie her up? She didn't do anything. That was completely unnecessary."

"Why should I untie her, Wanda? So she can deck Mel next?"

"I have to agree with Ian. If we untie her, who knows what she'll do. Sorry, kid."

"You're safer with us."

"This is for the best."

"You'll like you're new home."

"Life is so much better in a community, trust me…"

* * *

**Also: I am writing this little ****side note on February 20th, 2013. I have almost one THOUSAND views-over 200 views for this chapter and the next one. Yet I only have 4 reviews. WHAT THE FUCK, GUYS?! FOUR FUCKING REVIEWS?! DOES MY WRITING SUCK SO MUCH THAT IT ISN'T EVEN ACKNOWLEDGED?! I have no input from anyone, and I have no idea or inspiration for chapter 7! Seriously, I need some input here! NOT FUCKING ACCEPTABLE, GUYS! D:**

**I know I sound like an irritating author who is desperately begging for reviews, but yah, I'm kinda desperate right now. I'm not proud of it either.**

**But ya know I love you guys :)**

**Not to be creepy or anything...**

**;)**


	2. Lost and Extremely Injured

Chapter 2

I knew they weren't trying to scare me or harm me, but all I felt was horrible panic, crawling up my throat. Before they dragged me into the gaping cave mouth, they blindfolded me. I was thrown over someone's shoulder and carried down, my entire body shaking. How had this happened? My mind was racing furiously with vain ideas—most of it was involving squirming around until someone dropped me, but I was paralyzed with fear. I could hear this loud clicking in my ears, which I recognized as my own heartbeat. It was loud. Loud and fast. I concentrated on my heartbeat as sounds and smells enveloped me—people talking and laughing—the smell of earth and dust, very musty and thick in the air—and back to my own heartbeat, one-two-three-four-one-two-three-four-one-two-three-four—WHAM!

I was dropped roughly on the ground, and I constricted in a ball of terror—what happened to being so calm and patient and relaxed? Apparently, I wasn't the person that I thought I was. People were talking, but my mind was ringing in my ears and I couldn't understand. "Kid! Stop squirming! We're trying to get these things off of you!" I wasn't even moving, completely frozen. As soon as my hands were unbound, I pushed the other hands trying to free me away. I slipped out my knife and cut my feet loose, and pulled my gag and blindfold off. I blinked a few times, trying to adjust to the dull lighting. I swore and scrambled backwards; my eyes wide with shock. I was surrounded by people; at least thirty. I pressed my back against the rocky wall, and I tired not to whimper, just a little nervous squeak escaping me, my chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Jeez, she's scared out of her wits," someone murmured.

"She must be a little overwhelmed."

"Ha! A _little?_ She's surrounded by people! Jared told me that they found her alone, wandering in the desert."

"Poor kid…"

"I heard she nailed Jared in the crotch!"

"Guy deserves it, letting a poor kid get tied up like that…"

"All right, folks! Let's clear up this little gathering! We have a new guest, nothing to get excited about! Anyway, the melons need to be watered, and there's a field that has to be plowed! We don't have a lot of time for dillydaddlying!" I man's voice shouted above all the others. People stopped and looked at me as they passed, smiling and waving. I could feel my heart sink. A new guest? I didn't want to be here. I would rather have been dead in the desert. I could feel myself shaking all over again, and I could feel a tightening in my chest. It didn't feel good.

Three of the men from the jeep walked up to me—the two black haired men that were eerily alike, and the man with blonde streaked hair. I jumped up, and put my hand on my hip; my knife was in my pocket. "Hey, kid, sorry for causing all of that drama. We didn't mean to scare you like that. I hope we can patch things up." And the man with the blondish hair stuck out his hand to shake mine. I stared at his hand, and looked up at him. I slowly shook my head, and closed my eyes. "Oh, well, I'm sorry that we can't be friends. By the way, my name is Jared." Jared said, slightly frowning at me. I said nothing, but only stared at Jared until he dropped his gaze. The two other men frowned, slightly disapproving at my rejection. I glared pointedly at them, and they turned to follow the crowd. I looked around, just to make sure that I was alone. I sunk to my knees on the floor and started to cry.

-xxx-

I felt miserable. Once I had finished my crying, I had begun to wander the tunnels aimlessly. I ran and skittered away from any noise—I knew that they were panicking—I wasn't supposed to be left alone. Now I was gone, and they were ultimately screwed. What if I had found the exit? What if I had gone somewhere I wasn't supposed to, and died? I was afraid of that myself. I started to creep down a hallway, which branched off into two directions, like an upside down V. I started to creep forward, my heart slamming against my ribcage. I crept around the corner, and gulped in a lungful of air; I was anxious. I took a step forward, my clothes shifting slightly. It made too much noise, even if it didn't make any at all. I stood stock still, and listened for breathing or shifting, or anything, really. Immediately, someone asked, "Is there anyone there? Kid? I s that you?" And someone walked around holding a flashlight. The beam swayed around, and caught my shoe, then quickly flashed up to my face. I was already running by the time the woman holding the flashlight started shouting.

I was running recklessly through the tunnels, not even touching the wall with my hand. I wanted to start screaming, because it was completely unnerving to run blind. Where I thought there was a corner, there was not, and I slammed into a wall. I cried out, clutching my temple; warm liquid flowed out and around, flowing freely down the gash in my temple. Lights flashed in front of my eyes, and I had a hard time understanding where I was. I carefully touched the wall in front of me, my hands slipping because they were coated in blood. I couldn't feel my head, and my tongue felt thick. I tried to push myself up off the ground, but I couldn't understand which way was up. I wanted start crying, but I remembered that I had to keep moving. I started to crawl, my shoulder always brushing the wall.

Eventually, more bright lights flashed in front of me, but they weren't warning signals from my battered mind; they were searching flashlights that thankfully didn't run over. Once they disappeared, I pushed myself up, and started to run, but slowed to a walk, because the world kept spinning in the blackness. Eventually, I stumbled to an opening that seemed to be absent of everyone. There was a lantern, glowing dimly with blue light. I heard voices—I couldn't tell if they were close or far because any noise bounced off the cavernous walls and echoed everywhere. I started to run through the entrance that was before me, my vision tilting precariously. I was swallowed up by the inky darkness that surrounded me, the murmuring of a stream and the gurgling, growling voice of a river. I kept running, most of my noise disguised by the rushing river. I kept running, until the ground disappeared beneath me, and I fell with a splash into a pool.

"Hey!" a voice cried indignantly, and there was splashing as he scrambled away from me. I screamed once, partly from surprise and partly because I didn't think I could swim. I couldn't touch the bottom of the pool, and when my head went under and washed the gash in my forehead, pain exploded at my temple, and I was stunned by the agony it had caused. I surged towards the waters edge, and scrambled up onto the shore. "Are you all right?" The voice asked, and I whimpered and curled up in a ball. My head hurt, and already warm blood was gushing from the wound. I felt weak and lightheaded. The person—who sounded very young—lightly touched my chest, and the fingers drew back immediately. "Oh," the boy muttered, and I would definitely been embarrassed if I wasn't so hurt. "What's wrong?" The boy asked again, sounding concerned. "Wanda? Is that you?" He asked, sounding worried. I said nothing, just lightly touched my forehead and cried out. The boy seeing that I was in some sort of awful pain, lightly touched my shoulder.

"Okay, who ever you are, we should get you to Doc. C'mon; you gotta get up." And the boy pulled me into a sitting position. I tried to stand up, but immediately fell down. The boy wrapped one arm around my waist, and had me wrap my arm around his shoulders. We stumbled forward unsteadily, to the mouth of the cavern. The boy glanced at me, looking a little surprised to see me. Then he spotted the cut on my left temple, and he frowned. "Ouch," He muttered, frowning at me. His words swam in my ears, sounding distorted. We kept walking, and felt tired, and all I wanted to do was sleep. Eventually, as we were walking, we stumbled into some people. I felt my body tense up as I recognized the men.

"Jamie! Have you seen—oh." Jared started, his gaze falling on me. I couldn't glare at him; so much blood was flowing from the wound that it fell into my left eye, stinging it, so I kept it half closed. It felt really weird. "Ouch how'd that happen to her?" Jared asked. "I don't know. She was like that when I found her." Jamie shifted his weight slightly, so I would be leaning a little more onto him. "How'd you—" Jared stared. "It doesn't matter right now. I have to get her to Doc." Jamie said, an obvious frown in his voice. "All right," Jared said, sounding a little confused. "Do want some help?" He asked, starting forward. "No. I got it," Jamie said firmly, his arm tightening around my waist. I could see Jared glance at the black haired man, and they both shrugged. They fell in step behind us; I refused to be calm when the people who kidnapped me were right behind me. I strained to control my body, no matter how weak it was, and stay on my tip-toes alert. My eyelids felt heavy, and it was as if I wasn't walking; like everything I was watching was a movie. So I was really surprised when the world tilted sideways, into the ground.


	3. Rudely awoken

Chapter 3

When I finally woke up, I felt surprisingly good. I couldn't see why I was lying down. I opened my eyes and pushed myself up. Immediately, I didn't feel so good. I put my hand to my stomach, feeling nauseous. "Oh," I groaned, and flopped back down. I twisted until I was comfortably on my stomach, and used my arms as a pillow. "Not feeling so good?" A voice asked sympathetically, right in front of my face. I snapped my eyes open and cried out, falling backwards and off of my cot. Immediately, the voice started roaring with laughter. "Sorry! Sorry! It's just so..." The voice—belonging to a boy—was laughing hard, unable to finish his sentence. He helped me up and onto my cot, sitting on the cot next to mine. "Sorry, that was just…really funny," The boy snickered, and covered his mouth to not laugh anymore. "I'm sure it was," I replied sourly. The boy stopped laughing, and looked a little ashamed. "Sorry. Anyway, my name is Jamie." He stuck out his hand, and I unconsciously took it. "Didn't you help me get here?" I asked, my brow furrowing in thought. "Yeah. Don't you remember?" Jamie asked. "Not really. The memories fuzzy…oh, yeah! I started bleeding because I ran into a wall!" I said brightly, and then I shivered at the memory. Jamie shivered, too. "Yeah…not exactly an accomplishment on my part," I muttered, rubbing my head. "If it makes you feel better, I almost killed myself by tripping with a knife in my hand," Jamie offered. "Smooth one, slick," I grinned, and Jamie blushed underneath his tanned skin.

"How are you feeling?" Jamie asked, staring at me with a small frown. "Just a little nauseous. Otherwise, I'm good," Jamie raised his eyebrows. "Really? You look a little pale." I rolled my eyes. "I _am_ pale. The contrasting colors don't really help." I said, and then pointed at my black hair. "Yeah, it doesn't," Jamie said, smiling. I shrugged, feeling a little nervous suddenly. "Where am I?" I asked, glancing around the cavernous room. "The hospital." Jamie said. I glanced at Jamie, eyebrows raised, and he snorted. "Not like_ that_ type of hospital. It's just where Doc works."

"Does Doc got a name?" Jamie shrugged. "I'm sure he does. Do you?" I shrugged at the question. "My name's Bandit." Jamie grinned at me. "That's a cool name. Bandit," He added, getting the feel of my name. I yawned. I felt tired already. "You can go back to sleep, if you want. Actually, you should." Jamie said seriously. "H-h-h-ow come?" I yawned again. "You lost a lot of blood back there," Jamie said gravely. "Makes sense," I muttered. I touched my temple and grimaced. "What happened? Where's the gash?" I asked, and started patting my face, trying to see if I had misjudged the point of my pain, and the cut was elsewhere. Jamie grabbed my wrists and put my hands down to my sides. "Relax, we just put some…uh, _special_ medicine that healed it. You can barely see the scar now. It was right…here, I think," Jamie said, and traced with his finger a crooked line, from my temple to my jaw. I touched my jaw gently, trying to feel the line, or a slight uprising on my face—the invisible scar that Jamie had traced. "Can you see it?" I asked Jamie, frowning slightly. "Well, I'm about an inch away from you face and I'm squinting really hard, but under normal circumstances, no, I can't see it." Jamie replied, smiling crookedly. "Dang. I thought it'd be really bad." I muttered. Jamie shrugged. "Yeah. It was, but now it isn't." Jamie said, trying to smile, but couldn't at the memory. "Can you tell me how they did it?" I asked, motioning to my face. Jamie nodded. "Yeah. But not now. You need to sleep; you're _really_ pale." I rolled my eyes. "I am just naturally this pale," I muttered, but I lay down on the cot anyway. " G'night, Jamie," I yawned. "Well, actually, it's day, but sure, 'night, Bandit."

-xxx-

For next few days, I was unnerved. People smiled at me, but it was forced. They looked at me like I was a cornered animal. A _rabid_ cornered animal. Jamie seemed completely at home with me, welcoming me with open arms. I was introduced to the people who kidnapped me, good friends of Jamie—Melanie, Ian, Jared, Wanda, and Kyle. Well, Kyle wasn't a friend of Jamie, period. According to Jamie (and everyone else), I should've kicked Kyle in the groin instead of Jared. Ian wanted me to do it, but I found myself rather wanting to do it to him. I was slightly irritated by them, and very opposed. Mostly because they had kidnapped me. Wanda and Mel apologized for the fact that I had been bound and gagged. Kyle, however, did not, seeing as he didn't regret his brash actions. I resisted the urge to make faces at Kyle. Everyone was slightly amused by my odd name. Ian wanted to know if it was my real name. Of course it was my real name! What could I have gained from lying to them? Melanie asked me if I had a nickname. I didn't because all of the abbreviations of my name sounded weird. Jared wanted to know why I was so pale; was I sick? No, I wasn't. I've spent almost all of my life living in the shady forests of Maryland. It's not too sunny there. And I don't tan. Wanda wanted to know if I had any friends still out there. I stayed silent for that one.

Most days were uneventful—I would work, I would eat, I would bathe and then I would sleep. A lot of the time, everyone tried to get used to me—Lily, and I became fast friends; we were sharing a room. Many of the adults—mostly the women—adored me. The men regarded me warily. I was a ticking time bomb to most of them. Lucinda's children were like puppy dogs, following Wanda, Jamie and I around. They were all interested in raids—apparently Jamie had been on a few. "And he's only sixteen," Melanie griped while we were watering the fields. "How old are you, Bandit?" Mel asked interestedly. I made a face, trying to remember. "I dunno…fourteen? I can't really remember." Wanda frowned. "You can't remember your own birthday?" I shook my head. "I have a hard time telling when the months are, too. I've never really given much thought to time. Just if it would be me waking up in the morning, or somebody else." Wanda sighed. "I'm sorry. I wish I could do something." I shook my head. "It's not your fault, Wanda. It's not like one person changing could stop all of this madness." Wanda smiled at me. "Thanks," she said, and walked away to get more water. "What was that about?" I asked, heaving up my pail full of water. "You called her a person," Mel said, glancing at Wanda. "Not a lot of people accept her for being what she is." I shrugged, and said, "Looks like a human, acts like a human, talks like a human, walks like a human. Must be a human."

Later at that day, at dinner, Jared brought up the matter of raids.

"We're going to have to go on one soon," He sighed, glancing around the room. "I think I'm gonna resort to cannibalism if I have to keep eating these rolls," Jamie groaned, picking up his grainy roll and dropping it again.

"Sounds like you have enough motivation to go on a raid,"

Jamie's face immediately lit up. "About time I went on one!" He exclaimed. Immediately, Melanie and Wanda frowned at Jared, who rolled his eyes at the disgruntled women. "Oh, c'mon. Everyone needs to get out every now and then. Especially that kid; I'm surprised that he hasn't died of boredom." Mel sighed and Jamie grinned. "Fine," She said, flashing Jamie a warning look. "But I'm going." Jamie shrugged happily. "Okay, it'll be lots of fun, Mel; you'll see." I could see something dawn on Jamie's face, like he just realized something that he couldn't contain. It took him about two seconds before he bust out the question that I was thinking: "Could Bandit come?" Jared's face darkened considerably. I choked on my soup and spluttered. "What?" I coughed. Jamie rolled his eyes at me. "Everyone knows that you've been aching to get out. The last raid—when we picked you up—was just a quickie for Heal. We need to go pretty far for this one—right, Jared? —because we haven't gone for supplies in a few months, and we'll be going far, up North, so we don't leave a trail of interest in one city. So we could use another person with us, to help managing and stuff. You'd love it," Jamie said, smiling at me. I stared down at my soup bowl. "How far up North?" I found myself murmuring. "I don't know; maybe through Pennsylvania and towards Michigan? That far up North." It wasn't in Maryland, but it was close; close enough. Close enough for me to be able to break away from the group and go home and live alone in Maryland. "Kid really knows his facts," Jared muttered. I knew that they were wondering the same thing that I was: would Bandit escape? They knew that I wanted to leave. But it was too risky; I could be captured, and then they would be exposed. Could I convince them to let me leave? I had to act like I had never thought about leaving.

"Could I go?' I asked, looking up.


	4. Whoa

Chapter 4

Jared stared at me, his lips pursed in thought. I did my best to be wide-eyed and eager, innocent and excited, not at all a little deceiving, plotting traitor. My front must have worked, because Jared said, "We'll see if you can live up to your name, Bandit." I surprised myself—and maybe a few unsuspecting passersby—by giving a little jump and shrieking, "Yes! Thank you!" And I did a crazy little dance of success. Don't get me wrong; I was really excited about getting out of this hellhole, even though I had only been here for a few weeks; definitely over a month. But the thought of running through forests, of escaping the hot sun and smelling not dust or seeing desert, but smelling the luscious, homey scents of earth and seeing the thick canopies of leaves hanging above my head, filtering in the sunlight so it was always muted. Imagining this was enough to get me excited. "When do we leave?" I asked, feeling a little dreamy about the sight of the Patapsco River at night. Jared shrugged. "As soon as we confirm the people who are going, and talk it over with Jeb." I nodded. "Oh, right." But I found myself a little worried. Was I being too enthusiastic? The answer was no. Jamie was practically vibrating with excitement. "You two should probably get some sleep," Wanda mused, observing us through tired eyes. But I couldn't imagine sleeping when my kidnappers were practically going to deliver me, hand-wrapped on the doorstep of Maryland. Jamie dragged me to our rooms anyway, but he wasn't thinking about sleeping, either.

"It's going to be so much fun, Bandit you'll love it!" Jamie chattered as I sat down on my mattress. He sat down next to me; a little closer than usual, my brain reminded me through my hazy thoughts; I was charged with almost hysterical excitement. "You think we're going to leave soon?" I asked, unable to hide my eagerness. "Yeah, yeah; Jeb always wants to know when we're leaving; he always has a say when something goes on." Jamie said. I zoned out as I though about the last time I had talked to Jeb.

"Kid, you don't look so happy," He observed, watching me tear my roll to pieces before I ate it. "I don't look anything; this is just my face." I grumbled, waving my hand in front of it. Jeb didn't laugh. "Look, kid, I know that you're unhappy. But you're safer this way." I sighed, and stopped nitpicking the roll long enough to look up at Jeb and say, "You have no idea how many times I've heard that." Then I returned my attention to the destruction of the roll. "Kid, this is no way to live," Jeb said sourly. "Then kill me," I snapped. "I'd rather be dead than stay in this oven for a minute longer." Jeb observed me with neutral eyes, and said with finality, "You haven't forgiven us yet, have you?" I dropped my roll, which was successfully in pieces. "Why would I want to forgive? You stole me! I was going to go back to Maryland, and instead this happens! It's not like I planned to get abducted, or anything else like that. I would rather be back home, on my own." I was angry and frustrated. If Jeb kept talking to me, I knew I would cry. I pushed myself off the table, and swept my crumbs off of it. "Kid, you just have to accept that what happened, happened. It's water under the bridge now." The demolished roll in my hand fell to the ground softly, and as Jeb walked to go work in the fields, I ran to my room to cry in private.

"Right…Jeb." I muttered. Jamie nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! It's a sure thing that he'll let us go." I shrugged hopelessly. "He probably won't let me go. I'm a little new to go on a raid." Jamie shook his head. "Just don't worry about it, Bandit; if you have to stay, I'll stay, too." I sighed, and forced a smile onto my face. "Thanks, Jamie. That means a lot to me." Jamie smiled back at me, his large brown eyes almost heartbreakingly sincere when he said warmly, "I would do anything for you, Bandit." There was a soft popping noise when both of our mouths fell open. Jamie's cheeks turned pink, and I could see that he couldn't believe that he had said that out loud. I would have preferred if it stayed in his head, too. I stopped staring at Jamie in confusement and closed my mouth. I stared at my feet, trying to think of one good reason why Jamie would do _anything_ for me. Jamie shifted nervously next to me. And I ignored him, resting my chin in my hands. Jamie shouldn't like me. I'm not exactly a nice person—I was, after all, about to ditch him and his community as soon as I could. I shook my feelings off quickly.

"I mean it, you know." Jamie said softly. I made a face at the ground. Why couldn't he just drop it? I wasn't going to look up; the whole situation was just too uncomfortable. Jamie didn't say anything, but he intertwined his fingers with mine, and squeezed my hand lightly. There was a shift in the air pressure when Jamie leaned in, his face dangerously close to mine. We were close enough to bump teeth…or—oh my god! He was going to try to kiss me! I didn't realize this fast enough—Jamie's lips gently brushed mine, and then he pressed them harder to mine, and then he angled his head to deepen the kiss. I couldn't exactly pry him off. I tried to lean away from Jamie, but he sort of followed me, so Jamie was leaning over me, arms about to snake around my waist. I rolled away from Jamie, who looked very confused. "You shouldn't have done that." I said breathlessly. "Any of that." Jamie looked a little embarrassed, very sad, and extremely hurt. He immediately closed up—completely unreadable. "Right. Sorry." He said coldly, and got up and walked away. I got up, sat down, and then flopped onto my back. "Ugh." I moaned. "Boys."

-xxx-

I talked to Melanie the next day—she told me sadly that I wouldn't be able to go on the raid—Melanie was still going because Jamie was, and since Wanda went on every raid, Ian went with her, not wanting to leave his partner unattended. And of course, Jared was going, being the leader of the raid. They were going in a week, just to rest up. A wave of guilt washed over me when I was told that Jamie was going to be gone for at least a month and a half. I didn't want to apologize to Jamie, but he was still confused, and definitely hurt. But what would I tell him? "Sorry, Jamie, you're a nice kid and all, but I don't have feelings for you. 'Kay, that was all I had to say."? No. I would just completely ignore it, what happened—and Jamie would completely ignore me. Well, he would try. When we worked together, like when we were cleaning off mirrors, he would constantly stare at me, looking confused and angry and hurt and…well, wanting me. He would shut down if I glanced at him. Eventually, he stopped looking at me with any emotion at all, which I was grateful for.

Lots of people noticed how Jamie was shut off when I was around, and how we didn't talk to each other. Melanie and Wanda peppered me with questions about why Jamie and I weren't talking; Jamie glared balefully, and I shot daggers at him when I told Mel and Wanda serenely, "Not a lot to talk about these days, I guess." Many people guessed that it was because I was jealous that Jamie was going on the raid, and I wasn't. That definitely wasn't true; I told anyone who asked. Eventually, I got tired of answering questions and talking so much about me and Jamie, so I stopped eating with everyone, and I went to eat when the kitchen was at its emptiest. No one really talked to me while we worked, being so absorbed in our tasks. It was nice, fading into nothing after all of the attention. And then came the day when the raiders were leaving.

Everyone was giving goodbyes and wish-you-wells. I knew that I should probably talk to Jamie before he left—but I didn't want to. He didn't want to see me by now; I had hurt him, so naturally, he didn't like him. To be fair, I didn't really like him after what he did, either. I decided against saying goodbye to Jamie, and ignored him on his last hours before the raid, like the way he had ignored me the entire week.

I wrung my hair out, and pulled on my dry clothes. I slipped my battered sneakers on, picked up my wet clothes and started walking. When I left the cave, I tripped on a rock and my shoved through the toe of my shoe. Someone in line for the pool started laughing, and I started laughing, too, and hobbled down the hallway, tripping. I kicked my sneaker off when I reached the hallway full of rooms. I picked up my sad sneaker, and stopped outside of the hole leading to my rooms when I heard people talking.

"Sorry, Jamie, I think she's still in line to go into the bathing room. She was covered head to toe in dirt last time I saw her," Lily said, chuckling at the memory. "All right. Thanks anyway, Lily. I think I might stick around a little bit longer." Lily clucked her tongue disapprovingly but said, "Fine. But don't keep her up for too long; she's probably going to be tired." Jamie agreed with Lily, who walked straight out into me. I was grateful for the blankets hanging in front of the hole; if they weren't, Jamie would have seen me. Lily pulled me aside, and then pointed at the doorway. I shook my head frantically, my wet hair whipping my face and then sticking. I quickly pulled it away, just in time to have Lily practically throw me into the door. Jamie was sitting on my mattress, tracing the floral patterns with his finger.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, staring at Jamie critically. He stood up awkwardly, staring back at me. "I wanted to say goodbye." Jamie said. I shrugged. "'Kay, bye." Jamie sighed, and shook his head. "No, not like _that._" I rolled my eyes. "What do you want me to do, Jamie? Give a teary apology about how much I missed and how sorry I am? I don't think so." Jamie glared at me. I mentally added to add more sarcasm to my voice for next time. "Look, I just wanted to know why you hate me." I felt appalled. "Why do you think I hate you? I don't hate you." I said, surprised. "Then why do you act like that? Why didn't you talk to me? Why didn't you tell everyone the truth?" Jamie asked, building up on rage. I could feel heat color my cheeks. "I'm not _acting_ like anything, Jamie. I'm just being myself. I didn't talk to you because you wouldn't talk to me, and I didn't tell anyone about what happened because it was embarrassing. Happy now?" I said it quietly, but it felt like I was shouting. I was pissed; why was he dumping this on me, and why now? To get it out of the way for later?

"So now it's embarrassing!?" Jamie shouted at me. "No, it's not!" I cried. Why did he care so much about this? "Then what is it, Bandit? Was it anything at all?" Jamie asked, smoldering. I felt my mouth hang open in disbelief. "This is what it all boils down to? _Why I won't kiss you_?" I asked incredulously. Jamie didn't say anything, but bit his lip. "It boils down further," He murmured. "Like what?" I asked scornfully. I could think of some things that kissing led to, and they were things that I hoped Jamie wasn't thinking about. Jamie shook his head. "Never mind," He muttered, and almost stalked out of the room. I caught Jamie, but he roughly shoved me away. I grabbed Jamie's shoulder again, and he didn't push me away this time. "What is this big question that you're talking about? Er, not talking about?" I asked quietly. Jamie looked at me, and sighed. I couldn't look into his eyes and guess what he was thinking; his chin length hair had fallen into his eyes. I brushed it out of the way, and Jamie held my hand and pressed it to his cheek. Warning signals flashed in my head, and I wanted badly to pull away, but I didn't. I wanted to know what he wasn't talking about.

Not surprising: Jamie let my hand go and cupped my chin with his, and stroked my cheek with the pad of his thumb.

Very surprising: When he leaned forward and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me closer, I didn't stop him.

Even more surprising: When he whispered in my ear that he loved me, I didn't stop him, even when he nibbled my ear. I'm concerned that I didn't knee him in the groin when he did that.

Incredibly, irrevocably surprising: when Jamie pressed his lips to mine, I pressed back, angling my head and moving my lips against his. I tangled my fingers in his hair, and my heart stuttered when Jamie captured my lower lip between his and gently pulled. I angled my head and Jamie angled his, and pulled back just enough so he could trace a small scar on my lip with his tongue. At that point, I had a Jamie overload, and my head was close to exploding with the same question that I had been asking myself the entire time: why? Jamie, understanding that I was having a melt down or something, pulled back so we weren't trapped in lip lock and suffocating. I took my fingers from his hair, and rested my hands on his shoulder. He still had his arms around my waist, still pressing my body against his. I mouthed "wow" at Jamie, and he laughed, looking like he wanted to kiss me again. I smiled the barest of smiles, and Jamie closed his lips around mine, for a short, sweet second.

"Interesting good-bye," I murmured. Jamie grinned at me, and took one hand off of my waist to push his hair out of his face. "I can't wait for 'hello,' then," And I grinned back. I punched Jamie in the ribs, separating us. "Don't count on anything." Jamie smiled, and gave me a quick a hug before leaving, glancing back at me as he walked through the hole.

Oh my god, what's wrong with me?


	5. So long, I won't miss you

Chapter 5

I carefully paste the picture into my album. It's been at least a month since the raid has started, and I've never been lonelier. Well, in a good way. Not many people talk to me, and I've faded into the background, not any more noticeable than the floor you're standing on. Even Jeb has dismissed my escape. It's perfect; I can go anywhere I want to if I'm not working or resting. I've been cataloging the hallways in pictures in my album. I haven't found the exit yet, but I know I'm close. I haven't been in the storage area yet, so I'm going to snap a few pictures with my Polaroid soon.

I closed the album and shoved it underneath my pillow. I picked up my Polaroid and jogged through hallways, past the kitchen and to the upside-down V. I froze when I heard voices, and I hugged my body to the wall. There were stomping feet from up ahead—that didn't make sense. There was no hallway ahead. But there must be…oh, damn that's clever. This is where they first brought me—a few paces from the exit when I thought that I was in the depths of the caves! Points to Jeb for thinking on that.

"Hello! Anyone!" Jamie shouts, interrupting my thoughts. My gaze snaps up from the storage room as Jamie sprints down the hallway and nearly smacks into me. He's holding a flashlight, its beams bouncing off the walls. "Bandit, oh, Bandit." Jamie gasps, and then walks warily close to me. He shines the flashlight into my eyes. I know enough to not look away, and when Jamie is satisfied, he puts his flashlight away and crushes me in a bear hug. "Uh, hi to you, to." I say, my voice muffled. But Jamie is shaking with relief, burying his face into my hair to calm his almost panicked breathing. I hugged Jamie back. "Jamie, what happened? What's wrong?" I asked, pouring concern into my voice.

"The parasites turned on each other, that's what happened." Ian said dully, walking from behind Jamie, rudely wrenching us apart. "I'm guessing none of you are parasites." I nodded warily. In the dim light of the lantern, I can see that both Ian and Jamie's eyes are red and puffy. "What are you talking about?" I demanded. Ian just shook his head wordlessly and kept on walking. Melanie came up with Jared, clutching crowbars and baseball bats. "Jamie! Don't go ahead of me like that again. I thought I lost you!" Melanie exclaimed, coming into view. She glanced at the way Jamie had his arm wrapped tightly around me, and relaxed slightly. "I'm guessing everything is under control," Jared sighs, looking in between us down the hallway. I nodded slowly.

"Seriously. What happened?" I asked for the third time, slightly irritated. Jamie shook his head. "You'll find out," He mutters, and he steers me out of the hallway to the kitchen. Everyone is quickly gathered there, with Ian and Jeb standing at the front of the group.

"We have to leave." Ian says. His voice and eyes are dead, like life has lost all meaning. Questions immediately explode into the air.

"Who got caught?"

"Did Wanda tell the other parasites?"

"I knew it!"

"Shut up! Wanda would never do that!"

"How soon do we have to leave?"

"Where will we go?"

"Where _can_ we go?"

"SHUT UP!" Ian roared. The din immediately settled into quiet. "Wanda was kidnapped by the other souls. She was taken from her body and another soul was put in her body. Wanda herself…she didn't make it." Ian stopped because his voice was shaking so hard.

"We have to leave, immediately. They're sending shuttles over. They're going to get us out somehow—I don't know how, but we all know they will. So we have to leave. We won't be able to come back." Ian went to stand next to Jared, who clasped him on the shoulder. I leaned my arms on the table and clasped my hands together. Jamie moved and leaned on arm against the table, and put the other one around me, pulling me into his chest so he could rest his chin on my head. Again, the room exploded in questions, these ones for Jeb, who was quickly singled out to one end of the hallway.

"Where will we go?"

"How will we move so many people?"

"How will we hide?"

"What will we eat?"

"Can we go live with one of the other communities?"

"Who will tell them what happened?"

Everyone became quiet when Jeb lifted up his shotgun. "Now everyone shut their yap so I can think," Jeb said, and thoughtfully stroked his white beard. "We can't go to one of the other communities; Wanda's body knew where they were, so the soul in her body will know where they are. So we need to send someone to go look for them."

"I'll go," Ian said quietly, and quiet murmurs of approval went out from the crowd. Jared and Mel looked pained at the idea, but they didn't say anything to stop him. "Now, I don't know how to move such a large group from place to place without leaving a mark, but I'm sure we'll figure out something. To move this group, it'll be hard—" I interrupted Jeb in a loud, clear voice. Jamie pulled back so he could look at me. Everyone turned to stare at me as I talked. "It's not just hard, Jeb, it's impossible. You _can_ try to move everyone, but then you'll lose everyone. And if so much as one person is lost, you're all doomed." There was an awkward silence before Jeb asked with an uncommon edge to his voice, "Then what do you propose, Bandit?" I looked up at him. "We should split into groups. More than three people in a group is too much. We don't tell each other where we're going. We don't try to keep in touch. We don't have a point to rendezvous at. We divide and scatter. That's my plan, take it or leave it." Silence greeted my statement, but Jared, the voice of reason at this point, agreed with me.

"Bandit's right. We don't have much of a choice at this point." Jared said. Everyone looked at me, and someone asked, "What about the two other communities?" I sighed and shook my head. "Consider them dead. We won't be able to reach them before the shuttles do. By the time Ian gets there, there will be nothing left to save. It's cruel but it's true." Everyone nodded, and started to divide into groups, no more than three to a group. Melanie and Jared walked over to us. I pulled myself away from Jamie as they walked over, who had calculated in his head what I had done. Melanie had turned back and brought Ian with her and Jared. "Jamie, we should get a move on." Mel muttered. Jamie stared at me, and said quietly, "Not without Bandit." I shook my head, and took a healthy step back. "I'm following my own advice. You guys can probably get around with a group of four, though," I said, my gaze darting between Mel, Jamie, Ian and Jared. "We can do five," Mel pleaded. I shook my head and took another step back. "No. I'm better off on my own. Four is bending the rules; five is shattering them." Jamie's mouth was twisted into a scowl, his eyes narrowed. I turned on my heel and walked away quickly, out of the kitchen and out of sight before I started running. I could hear feet thudding against the floor as I streaked down the halls.

"_Bandit!_" Jamie shouted after me. I pushed even harder, trying to keep ahead. Jamie tackled me, throwing both of us to the ground before I sat up dazedly. Jamie was already on his feet and shouting. "_What the __hell__?!"_ I rubbed my head. "What the hell what?" I muttered. "You sneaky, conniving little—" Jamie struggled to find a word bad enough for me "—aaugh!" Jamie shouted angrily. "It's part of my name, buddy. Not too intimidating." "Why? Was this just some elaborate plot to get away?" he asked, squatting next to me. "No. I made the last part up on the spot." I said quietly.

"Were you going to leave anyway?"

"Yes."

"Were you happy?"

"No."

Jamie was quiet for a long time. "Did you ever love me?" He asked quietly. "You never loved me, you were just confused—" I started to say. "I don't want to hear about what you think I feel. I want to know what you feel." Jamie said harshly. "It will be so much easier, for both of us, if I don't answer that question." I said carefully. "It's a yes or no, Bandit." Jamie said quietly. "I told you I'm not—" I started to say.

"_Yes or no!"_

"Yes!" I shouted at Jamie. "Okay! Fine! Yes! I do love you Jamie, I really do! But I loved other people to, and they died. I love you, Jamie, and that's not going to stop me from leaving. So, sorry, but you're going to have to deal with life without me, Jamie."

"No, I'm not." He said tightly, and he took my hand. "Yes, you are," I said just as tightly, trying to pull my hand away.

"No, I'm not, because I'm going with you and leaving Mel and Jared behind."


	6. Grand Theft Auto

Chapter 6

"No." I said angrily. "Yes," Jamie said, pulling me closer to him. "No!" I cried angrily, my anger giving way to frustration. "Yes," Jamie murmured, pressing his lips to mine, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me into his lap, my head resting in the hollow in his shoulder. I shook my head, tears dripping down my cheeks. Jamie kissed them, not sure of why I was crying. I wasn't sure, either, but I knew that I would find out soon. "Everything will work out, Bandit, you'll see," Jamie murmured into my ear. "No, it won't. You'll never see any of these people again if you come with me." Jamie shrugged. "I might." I sighed and shook my head. "No. I was going to go hitch a ride to some country or hide in one place or be isolated somewhere. I was figuring out a plan so I wouldn't have to see anyone of them again." Jamie's breath ruffled my hair, and we sat there for about a minute or two before Jamie took my hand and led me back down the hallway. We passed everyone else, the exception being Jared, Ian and Mel.

"Bandit's coming with us," Jamie stated, still holding my hand tightly. "Good," Jared said, giving me a don't-try-anything look. I nodded. "We're going to go ahead and take the jeep—I still have the keys." And our strange group hurried up through the tunnels—Jamie kept me close, because I kept tripping and stumbling, since I didn't know my way out of the community. More than once I walked straight into a wall. The worst I got were a few bruises, though.

The jeep wasn't present when we reached the mouth of the cave. In the distance, I saw a cloud of dust, marking the direction the jeep had drove off to. "Must've hot-wired it," I muttered. Jamie nodded absentmindedly and squeezed my hand. "So…we walk, then?" I asked, looking up at Jared. He just barely nodded, a grimace on his face. "We might want to get some supplies before we just go randomly out into the desert." Melanie interjected; I was about to start jogging into the desert. I nodded reluctantly, and we all went back into the caves.

Melanie helped me pack my bag appropriately—only one or two pairs of spare clothes, new sneakers (because I had worn my old ones to death), at least twenty hard rolls, and as mush water as I could carry. We waited at the mouth of the caves for Ian, Jamie and Jared.

"So," Melanie started, barely concealing a grin. I raised my eyebrows at her. "You and Jamie?" And I felt my cheeks get warm. I ducked my head so my embarrassed smile wouldn't show. "He told you?" I squeaked. Melanie laughed at me. "All he could talk about was you, Bandit. Well, he only talked about you to me and Wanda…" Melanie sighed sadly and trailed off. I looked up at Melanie, who was furiously wiping away ears, her gaze trained on the ground. "What happened to her?" I asked quietly. "We were stealing more medicine—we needed more Heal and Cool and No Pain. They found us stealing from the truck, and Wanda started making up an excuse, but apparently they had heard of us. They took Wanda inside, and called the Seekers. Ian was going nuts; you know how much he loved Wanda.

"We took everyone into the jeep, and we were about to drive off when Ian hopped out of the car. I have to admit, I ran after him, because I wasn't going to let anything happen to my sister. When we got inside…well, we were too late. They had taken Wanda from her body, and she was just a soul cupped in a Healer's hand. Except she wasn't moving, she just sat there in his hand, looking kind of… flat." Melanie just stopped and covered her mouth with her hand. "I'm sorry, Mel," I whispered. Because I had met Wanda—if she was anything, she was a pure soul and the others were tainted. Wanda had never deserved this.

"Hey!" Jamie shouted, jogging up the tunnel, Mel quickly reposed herself, not wanting her younger brother to get upset. "We were looking all over for you guys," Jamie said breathlessly, holding his side. "Well, we were here the entire time." I said bluntly. "Obviously," Jamie said, rolling his eyes as he walked over to me. He kissed me sweetly on the lips and wrapped his arm around my waist; Melanie laughed at the shocked expression on my face. Jamie rolled his eyes at me again. "Jared! Ian! What's taking you so long?" Jamie shouted down into the cave. The two men trudged up, both looking tired and worn. I was worried about Ian; he looked dead on his feet. He had an excuse, really; his partner had just been killed in front of him, even if she was a completely different species. I guess it all has to do with feelings or some other mushy thing.

"We should probably get a move on." Melanie said, and we walked into the desert. I have to admit, this wasn't the best way to get to know someone; everyone was fine with the desert heat, the flat, sandy, barren terrain, the baking-hot sun glaring down on us. I was extremely irritable; I knew better than to drink my water, and restricted myself with very small sips. I felt like bacon in a frying pan—it was strange, seeing Jamie and Melanie and Jared gradually brown in the sun, while I turned gradually paler; the hottest flame in a fire is actually the white part.

What was devastating to me was the fact that my hair was pitch-black, absorbing the heat the sun shined on it. It felt like the edges of my hair was burning the back of my neck and the sides of my face. When the sun finally set, we found a small rock structure to hide in; it was pocked with holes that were deep enough to hide in. While I allowed myself to gulp down my first water in two hours, Melanie and Jared discussed the next places to go. Of course: away from the desert. Unknowingly, I leaned into Jamie, and he wrapped his arm around me. I lifelessly watched the flames of our campfire. The desert was depressing to me. I despised the heat and grit, the withered scrub that lay around.

"We're not going to make it," I murmured. Jamie shifted slightly, and he looked down at me. "We are. Don't say that." He whispered back. I shook my head against his shoulder, and looked up at him. "Then why are we still here?" Jamie stared at me and bit his lip. He leaned in and kissed me softly. "Don't say that," He whispered against my lips. "Don't say that," He said again, and kissed me. "We'll make it; you'll see." There seemed to be a lot of seeing. One last question weighted on my tongue: _Where_ would we make it?

-xxx-

We got up in the morning and continued our long walk; as usual, everyone was silent. When we finally reached the highway, everyone was jumpy and nervous; I was too, but only because of my plan. Of course, I hadn't told anyone that I had a plan; they wouldn't approve. We stood in the spindly trees, protecting us from prying eyes. "What are we waiting for?" I asked Jared. He bit his lip. "A chance." He muttered. "Well, there are plenty of them zooming past us. Why not take one?" Ian looked at me, dumbfounded. "Are you talking about the cars?" I rolled my eyes at him. "No, I'm talking about the porcupines. I think I'm going to go get one, actually." Jamie grabbed my arm. "Bandit, if you're doing what I think you're doing—"

"I absolutely am!"

"Don't," Jamie commanded, pulling me back towards him.

"Do," I corrected, and ran onto the middle of the highway.

"Bandit!" Jamie angrily screeched my name; I ignored him. The truck in front of me screeched to a stop, and I hobbled around to the passenger's door. The man inside hopped out; I could have played it nice, pretended that I was a parasite that had gotten lost in the desert and so on, but instead, I decided to play it very grand theft auto.

I walked around to the driver's side and knocked on the door; I was bedraggled and very tired, so the man must have thought that I was in some trouble, or I was hurt or something. He got out of the car, and I pointed a Glock at him. I had found it under Lily's mattress; it was sticking out of the corner when I had stepped on the handle. The man cried out at the sight of the gun, and I pointed it at his head while shouting, "Step away from the car! Step away from the car! _Step away from the fucking car, please!"_ I backed the man up so he was where our friends were hidden. "Anybody got rope?" I asked calmly. Melanie did, and I instructed her to tie up the parasite, and gag him. Pretty soon, Ian, Jamie and I were sitting in the back of the truck, with the wind blowing in our faces; the sun didn't even bother me that much.

"Wow, kid. Just…wow." Ian laughed; it was comforting to see him in a much un-depressed mood. "She's something, huh?" Jamie marveled, smiling at me. I grinned back. "This was fun. We'll have to do it again some other time."


	7. Blocked

Hi, if you're reading this, which you must be, this fanfic has been put on pause. If you'd like to know why, it's because I've made and SYOT Hunger Games story, and it's very…time consuming, and it's a lot easier to handle if I put my story(s) on hold. You can go read or submit an SYOT on my HG story, or you can send me death threats; either one works. As soon as I am done with some detailed parts in my HG story, this one may come and be unpaused; I don't know yet. We'll have to see.

For those of those concerned when this story will be back, keep on being concerned, because I don't know hen it'll be back, either. I highly suggest that you don't hold your breath. I'm afraid that I'll get sued if you do. Also: I can't guarantee how fast the HG story will go; I still have to write the reaping chapters for the districts, and let me tell you, the first one took _**forever**_ for me to write, so imagine how eleven more of those will go: not too smoothly.

So, hang in there, if I like this story, maybe I'll keep it unfrozen and keep writing it next to my HG fanfic. You'll know by looking below.

Top of Form

**Frozen**

Unfrozen

If you have any complaints, please direct them to yourself.

—Emily

Bottom of Form


	8. Weeeee!

HEYYY!

Guess what happened!

No!

No!

Keep trying!

OKAY, I'll just tell you!

MY FUCKING HUNGER GAMES SYOT GOT DELETED GGGGGGGRRRRRRUUUUUUUURRRRRRR RAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHM MMMM RRRRRRRRGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRAAA AAAARRRRRR!

...

I'm okay now :)

All right, since my SYOT got deleted, I suspect that it will be deleted again if I make a new one. And you guys know what that means-I'm free to continue updating and writing my other stories! Yay!

This is a good thing, because I've been trying to formulate another chapter for my Host story... I'm not sure of what to do next. I'm not good at fillers or fluff. But I have added a new chapter to my Forest of Hands and Teeth story-not the one about Gabrielle, the story named Agony-and I'm really happy with it.

If anyone has any ideas, suggestions or comments, please review or PM me!

(Sorry about my freakout above...I needed to vent)

Emily :D

**PS: I did some switching around, and for those of you who are reading my story, _Agony_; the new chapter is chapter eleven, so...read it!**


	9. This Is It

**It is SO unacceptable that I've taken so long to update—I'M SO SORRY! PLEASE TAKE ME BACK DX! **

**For a while, I was considering just leaving this story as it was, and leaving people to their own ideas, and inventing up their own endings in their head. I mean, the last chapter could lead us ANYWHERE—literally! I was trying to think of what I would do next, and then it hit me while I was reading part of the Host again!**

**What if I…ended this story right here?**

**The very last chapter; it would be horrible!**

**But wonderful!**

**So, I have decided, that this will be the BESTEST, MOST WONDERFUL, EXTRAVAGANT CHAPTER I HAVE EVER WRTITEN!**

**So, I'm not sure if you'll like the turn I'm taking, but I love it, so just deal. Oh my god, I love it so much! But you'll have to read this entire chapter to know what the fuck I'm talking about! IT'S SOOOOO PERFECT!**

**I am evil!**

**MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**SO EEEEVIIIILLLL! :D**

**And now all of you hate me :3 **

**It's okay, I love you too!**

**Because I don't have any support from my reviews—shout out to Amanda and Cypress, you guys ACTUALLY have a point of view in my stories, and I value your opinions; you guys are half of the reason that I wrote this chapter. You are rewarded with a virtual cookie. The rest of you get NOTHING!**

**Anyway, I have almost one THOUSAND views on this story—over 250 VIEWS for the first chapter, and over or around one hundred for the rest. I hope everybody reads this chapter, because it's going to have to be the most painfully forced written thingmajigger that I have ever written.**

**EVER.**

**So yah, I hope you like it. I'll cry myself to sleep if you don't.**

**And Props (& Mayhem :3) to Pierce The Veil, Black Veil Brides, Alesana, All Time Low, Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance, whom I am listening to as I write this. I may/perhaps/totally am going to take out little snippets from their songs, so yah, I'll leave the initials of the band in parenthesis when I do, 'cause ya know, copy right laws and sturf. These bands are among my favorites, and I suggest them to anyone who enjoys metal/rock/punk. (All Time Low is kinda poppy, though) Oh, and One Direction sucks. I hate them.**

**Just saying.**

**Anyway, PLEASE FUCKING REVIEW GOD DAMMIT!**

**Oh, and enjoy the chapter :)**

"Bad idea." I observed, glancing at the security cameras. "Says the girl who jacks trucks," Ian snorted. "I don't really feel like being chased for two miles on foot…_again."_ I added accusingly, giving him the evil eye. Ian blushed. "I learned my lesson about cameras and security systems, kid. I'm not going to break through store windows again." I yawned, rolling my eyes.

It was three a.m., and we were standing outside of an isolated convenience store, trying to decide if we were hungry enough to break in and get food. All the guys were, of course—but I was cold, tired, and yeah, starving, but I honesty don't feel like breaking into some ratty old store that could _possibly_ have bacon, and maybe some orange juice.

"Jesus, it's freezing out!" Ian muttered for the hundredth time, shuddering in his winter jacket. "How are you wearing short sleeves in this weather?!" I shrugged, saying, "It's only forty-something degrees out, and it's only night. In the winter, it drops by roughly ten degrees because of wind chill…and that's during the day. At night it usually gets somewhere _way_ below, around ten degrees."

Ian sighed. "I never liked the Northern states much," He muttered bitterly. "Man up a little. It's just a bit chilly outside—don't tell me that you want to go back to the desert!" I moaned in complaint. "Well, it's our best chance of finding the group again, and if we're lucky, maybe the parasites haven't found the community yet." He had the same hopeful note in his voice that everyone had adopted. Except for me, of course. I was the minority in the vote against going back to Arizona—we were back in the good old Line State, and although living here wasn't how I expected, (living with others, being with Jamie, etc.) I was more than content. Unfortunately for me, Mel, Jared, Ian and Jamie had lost their adaptation to the cold, and while I was enjoying the pleasant breeze, they were enduring hypothermic body temperatures. I bit my lip as I thought about Jamie—he could barely tolerate these nights.

"We should try the back." I said, scratching my head. Ian lifted an eyebrow. "And we would get through the door how…?" I grinned at him. "I was thinking along the lines of 'brute force.'" Ian grinned back, and we jogged silently around to the back. "It's an iron door, but it probably only has a regular lock." I bent down and inspect the rusting hinges. "You could definitely kick this sucker down." I glanced up at Ian and cocked an eyebrow. He sighed and nodded. "I don't understand why you insist on doing it this way," He grumbled as he grabbed the edges of the doorway and heaved his feet against the entrance. "Well, I obviously don't have a key, so that's why we do I this way. Unless you have any better ideas…" I trailed off as the door swung open and slammed against the wall. I turned my flashlight on and wiggled my eyebrows at a panting Ian, saying, "Besides, this works so well!" Before we stormed the castle. I swung my pack off my shoulder and onto the pile of boxes next to me, hurriedly unzipping it and shoving in anything I could get my hands on—soap, non-perishable food, batteries, clothes, bandages, Band-Aids, and even stickers. I was in a rush—I wanted to get in there and out.

"I'm almost full," I called softly to Ian. He grunted in response and tossed me a new bag, freshly broken out of a crate. I rolled my eyes and filled this one with food and clothes specifically—everyone had noticed my annoying tendency to load up on anything that I could get my hands on, especially the things we didn't need. With everyone freezing to death, it was preferred to stock up on layered clothing, as to not catch hypothermia while sleeping. I snorted at the ridiculous thought as I shoved a six-pack of water bottles into the bag, before I darted outside and stood by the door warily.

"Ian, hurry up!" I hissed. Last time we took this long, we were discovered and chased for a few hours. I was a bit tired to do that at this hour of night….

"I'm coming! Let's go!" Ian replied, racing out the door and past me. With a disgruntled huff, I followed him as we raced through the dense, rocky, hilly terrain of the forest. It was hard, especially at night; roots seemed to reach up out of the ground and try to trip you up. After several minutes of running like psychopaths, we stopped for a breather, before we turned southeast and ran in the right direction to our temporary camp. By the time we reached it, Jamie was in his worn sleeping bag, huddled up to the embers of the dead fire. Mel and Jared were crowded against each other, wearing at least three layers of jackets. I rolled my eyes at all of them and dropped my bag down next to Jared and Melanie. In the newer bag, which was colossal in size and twice as heavy, I pulled out an extra large sleeping bag and threw it at the shivering couple. They thanked me graciously and started to unroll it—hey had given the other sleeping back to Ian, who would get just as cold on nights like these.

Jamie reached up and pulled me down, so I was sitting against him. His skin was freezing, put I threw my arms around him anyway. "I wondered where my space heater had gotten to," He mumbled through numb lips. I slipped into his sleeping bag next to him, and we hunkered down into the warm depths. "Just Christmas shopping," I smirked, kissing him on the lips. He pressed his against mine even harder in response, and it all went downhill from there, if you catch my drift.

-XXX-

I woke up because I heard someone whispering; I couldn't recognize whom. It didn't sound like Jared—it was his shift to watch out for Seekers. I held my breath as I listened to the voices:

"Stars of Clear Night Sky, I'm going to search the perimeter. Wanderer said that these humans were very sneaky—there might be some just waiting for us to bring the rest of these humans to the truck. They could be lying in wait to attack at any second!" A man hissed. I heard a small gush of air, which I took to be Stars of Clear Night Sky chuckling. "Relax, Fire-Breather. I'm positive that there are only these four humans; we would have found other tracks. Now hand me that tranquilizer gun."

My heart leaped out my chest. I hated tranquilizers—they had the worst effect on me. After they wore off, I'd get sick all over the place. But more alarming—and perhaps advantageous—the Seekers didn't realize Jamie and I were sharing a sleeping bag. Carefully, I reached past Jamie's shoulders and curled my hand around the Glock. I set it down right next to me, and pinched Jamie while putting my hand over his mouth so he wouldn't talk when he awoke.

Nothing happened.

I pinched him again and again, but he wouldn't move. His breathing was deep and regular, like he was still asleep His skin was clammy, though, and I could tell that Jamie was obviously tranquilized. But what about Melanie and Ian? They were closer to the Seekers than we were. Did someone get overdosed on the tranquilizers? Was there some horrible, freak accident resulting in death? My heart pumped even harder in my chest. I reached up and grabbed the Glock, and as carefully as I could, I cocked the gun back. The metallic click was prominent in the sill night air.

"What was that?" Fire-Breather squeaked. Even Stars seemed afraid; I could feel the tension in the air. "It came from the young male." Stars murmured in a low voice. I rested my chin and the gun on Jamie's rib cage, and I took aim at the two still silhouettes. Just as a flash light beam fixed on me, I fired two shots in quick succession. There were two cries of pain—screams, really—and my ears were ringing. I heard something whizz past my ear when I fired the first shot; the adrenaline took the sting of pain away when the dart buried itself into my shoulder. The gun slid from my hand and my vision blurred. It was already dark, but now everything was successfully black. I sunk slowly onto Jamie; I felt completely paralyzed, and my body was shaking as I tried to fight the drugs. Slowly, my eyelids slipped shut and I los the world o darkness.

-XXX-

When I opened my eyes again, I was in the back of the truck. I felt that familiar wave of fatigue hit me, and my stomach knotted itself. I quickly stuck my head over the edge and wretched. Someone held my hair back, and when I was done, quickly pulled me back from the edge and underneath the tarp. It was Melanie, and she had the same exhausted, haggard look that I knew I had. Jamie was sitting beside her, looking equally unsettled. I remembered what happened last night, and I stuck my head out of the truck and vomited again. This time Jamie pulled me back and held me in his arms. "Are they…?" I asked in a ragged voice. Jamie nodded gravely, and rested his chin on my head. I shuddered and leaned against Jamie for support. It had never occurred to me that I could actually kill someone.

"It's not the Seekers that's so bad," Jamie whispered in my ear. "What is it, then?" I asked, keeping my voice as low as his. "Well, we saw someone we knew." I could feel my voice tighten. "Who?" I breathed, my breath caught in my throat. "Well, just as we were leaving, Ian swore he saw Wanda…so did Mel." We both stole a glance at Melanie, who was staring dead-eyed at the center of the floor. "Then why didn't she come to us?" I whispered back. Jamie shrugged his angular shoulders. "Well, the most probable answer was that Wanda wasn't actually in her body…someone else was." His voice broke on the last word, and I squeezed his hand. I had nothing comforting to say, and still I felt half dead. "Is there a camp outside?" Jamie shook his head. "We're going to be in the truck for a good amount of time. After we found out we were being tracked for so long, it just seems safer. Even though we're in Ohio…" He sounded skeptical, but I bit my lip. "We're in Ohio?" I asked quietly. Jamie shifted uncomfortably. "Yeah. We're turning around…ish." Despite my melancholy mood, I uttered a dry laugh. "Turning around-ish? And what do you mean by that?" Jamie shrugged. "Well, we're making a U-turn, like you did before you came to the community. We're not _exactly_ heading back to the community, just to Arizona," He was completely edging around the question, but I just sighed and nodded. It was inevitable for them not to return to their home—they just can't let go.

"And it's in our best judgment that we do, seeing that—" Jamie started to prattle on, but I immediately silenced him by ungracefully slapping my hand over his mouth. "I understand. I get it. It's the best thing to do at this point," I agreed reluctantly. Jamie's lips curved into a sly smile under my fingers. "I never thought you'd say that," He murmured, his voice muffled. I removed my hand and kissed Jamie lightly. "Yeah, well it's a first and last, I'm telling you."

"Why shouldn't I?" Whispered conversations around the fire. "You'll get killed." Mel stated bluntly. Jamie and I were set away from the bright glow—tucked into the safety of the shadows, in a cave we were currently occupying. I was leaning against Jamie's chest; his skin was nice and warm—and mine? Not so much. "Not if you come with me," Ian insisted. "But what about the kids? We can't leave them here. Unless you want to hang back, Mel…" Jared started. He was immediately cut off by a very pissed off Melanie. Jamie grinned at me. "There is no way in hell you're leaving my sight, Jared. I'll break your knees before you get far enough. And I'm not leaving Jamie and Bandit behind. They're just kids." Ian chuckled. "Are you kidding? Jamie knows how to get away from Seekers—and he'd never let Bandit get so much as a scrape." I snorted. "So very true and so very pathetic," I muttered under my breath. Jamie just rolled his eyes and kissed me softly on the lips before we turned back to the conversation.

"And we've all seen Bandit in action. That girl is vicious—she'll step up if need be. The kids will be fine on their own!" Ian crowed. Jamie smirked, and I pecked him on the cheek. Jared sat in uncomfortable indecision, while Mel was ultra-pissed. "No." She practically seethed. Jamie and I held our breath. Jared was the tiebreaker, the firm teller of what this argument would lead to…

"I…why not? Melanie, you've been tearing yourself up about Wanda, and if what Ian says is right, then why not? We'd be letting Wanda down by not taking this opportunity." Jared replied. Mel remained silent in disbelief. "Actually, looking at the way Ian put it, we could probably bring the kids, too—they could take care of each other, and we wouldn't have to worry about leaving them behind." The tension Melanie was holding in her silence snapped. "NO! We can't bring the kids! What is this to you, a walk in the park? A picnic? It goddamn isn't! Do either of you understand what you could lose by risking going into that hospital? You could lose _EVERYTHING_. Just because I managed to hold my own against Wanda doesn't mean that I'm invincible. And if I get caught, it wouldn't be Wanda in my head, it would be someone else. Who knows if I could survive that? Who knows if _you_ two could? And I don't want to go through that hell again. I don't want to put the kids in the position I was in—I can't, I won't. And I'll be damned if either of you go to the hospital. It's a no, and that's that. No one is going after Wanda."

Silence.

"We'll consider—" Ian started to say, but Melanie cut him off. "No, you won't _consider_," She spat the word like it tasted bad. "I'm telling you, it's the worst idea you can ever make. There's not just the chance that you'll lose yourselves, it's an absolute. I want to get Wanda back, too, but I can't risk it. If someone gets lost, just one of us, than the entire group is doomed, too. It's not worth the risk. Ian, _look at me_." Melanie sounded like she was close to tears now. "I know how hard it is for you to not look for her, but she's gone, Ian. You won't get anything by going after her body." There was another tight silence, and I peered at the fire to see Ian get up silently and walk away. Immediately, Melanie stood up, too, but Jared pulled her back down. "He needs to be on his own for a while." Mel didn't look at all convinced, but she stayed where she was.

"He's going to get captured," I hissed to Jamie. "No, he's going to look for Wanda. And then get captured." Jamie corrected. We shared a look and got up to follow Ian.

-XXX-

"Ian!" I whispered. I gripped Jamie's hand even harder, and wiped the sweat from my forehead with my other hand. We had deduced that Wanda's body was following us, and the most plausible answer was that she was staying at the hospitals closest to us, in case we were actually captured. Right now Ian was stealthily sneaking across the parking lot to one. I couldn't understand the sign, but being this close to a total parasite farm was making me anxious. Jamie was nervous, too, but he was holding back for me. "We can't let him into that place," Jamie murmured, narrowing his eyes in determination. I nodded, and we followed Ian, but by the time we had crossed half of the lot, Ian was trying to sneak into the back of the hospital. Jamie swore bitterly, and I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood. This was a big X on my map. No hospitals. I had broken all of them, so why does it matter now? _Because you're afraid they'll take Jamie away from you. _I thought subconsciously. I glanced at Jamie, whose eyebrows had drawn together in thought. I gave him a sharp poke in the ribs, getting his startled attention. I couldn't help but smile, and I tried to push away my horrible predictions of the future. I needed to focus on now, and what was happening. I felt sick on the inside, like I was gong to throw up, but I ignored my feelings and said, "We have to run in, get Ian, and get out—as fast as possible. No stopping for anyone but us three. Got it?" Jamie nodded quickly, and we dashed across the lot to the hospital. I still had the horrible feeling that something was going to go terribly wrong.

In the hospital, the lights were bright and gave a ghastly white glow to it. My skin looked sickly and pallid, while Jamie's sun-darkened skin looked unnaturally pale. We dashed through the warehouse-ish looking room, full boxes and what looked like plastic thermoses with black labels on them. I only snatched a few glimpses as Jamie dragged me through double doors into the hospital.

The first thing that hit me were the bright white walls. The floor, ceiling, everything was white—the walls did have a single, long red stripe on it, but it gave a bad effect, like it was blood instead of paint. The lights were duller, and gave of a warm glow, but it wasn't well lit, in comparison to the warehouse. We stopped at the first room, which was empty—we did the same for the next hallway, the next rooms, and the next floor. We completely avoided the lobby, but otherwise, there was no trace of Ian or Wanda, and the place was a complete ghost town.

"I want you to stay here," Jamie announced as we slowed to a stop at a dead end. "What? No! There's no way in hell you can check the other floors with out me," I retorted. "If anything happens, you can get away faster," Jamie replied, squeezing my shoulders. "It doesn't matter if you're not with me." I cried indignantly. Jamie smiled sadly, and kissed me softly. "Well, you don't have to. I'll be back. Just wait here." I shook my head. There was no way I was going to let him out of my sight. "Bandit, it's way too dangerous for you to be here. You should go back to Mel and Jared and let them no—they're probably searching all over." I crossed my arms. "Time is wasting. _We_ should go look for Ian, or _we_ should go back to Mel and Jared. No I's, me's or you's included." I growled. "Bandit, _please!_" Jamie shouted. "No!" I yelled back, sticking my face close to his. "I'm with you or you're with me. Those are the options, take them or leave them." Jamie narrowed his eyes, and before I could realize it, he had shoved me into the room behind me and slammed the door shut. I fell, tripping on a stool. By the time I had gotten up, there was the distinct _**click**_ of a bolt locking. I looked out the window, staring Jamie down. "Unlock this door!" I fumed. He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I can't." He sighed, looking worried. "Just keep quiet, and I'll be back. I love you," He added, sounding a little tearful. I felt heartbroken as I watched Jamie touch the glass briefly, turn and jog down the hallway.

For the first time since the caves, I fell to my knees.

-XXX-

I had turned off the lights in the room, and I just sat and waited at the door, with my knees pulled up to my chest. I was holding the Glock, cocked and ready. Jamie didn't know I was packing heat, but that didn't matter. I only had one round left, and I would use the bullets as needed.

Jamie had been gone for ten minutes, and I had been straining for any sound or indication that something had gone wrong. So far, silence. Something had gone wrong, I just knew it. Without any hesitation, I grabbed the metal stool I had tripped on from earlier and threw it at the narrow window in the door. Most of the glass shattered, but I had to clear away some so I could stick my arm through the opening to unlock the door. I winced as broken shard cut away at me skin, but it couldn't be helped. I gritted my teeth, and carefully pulled my arm back through, scraping my arm on the more jagged pieces that I was too wary to pull out. I twisted the doorknob and shoved the door open, and I smiled in triumph before rushing out into the hallway.

The lobby had the receptionist and three Seekers. A corner shielded me, so they thankfully couldn't see me. Two Seekers had run up the stairs, and two more for each hallway except mine. I crouched, and backed up into a supply closet as the three other Seekers ran past me, shouting. I got up and ran to the receptionist, my gun pointed at her.

"Scream and I shoot." I said calmly. I could hear the Seekers shout from the hallway I had come from—they had obviously found my little mess. "How many humans did you see? Hold up how many fingers." I purred smoothly. Inside, I was a shaking mess, and I new if the Seekers walk in I would freak, but I had to be collected if I wanted to get Jamie and Ian out. The woman held up two fingers, but her hands were shaking so bad it was almost impossible to tell. "And they ran upstairs." She whispered. I nodded. "They didn't get captured, did they?" The parasite shook her head. Without a word, I ran upstairs. I needed to distract the Seekers, but I needed to do it from a distance to lure them away and without wasting bullets. I started shouting as I stood in the middle of the second flight of stairs. "DO YOU KNOW? I COUNT YOUR HEARTBEATS BEFORE YOU SLEEP, I BITE MY FINGERNAILS TO BONE, _AND THEN I CRAWL UNDERNEATH THE STAIRWELL TO A PLACE I CALL MY HOME_."

I sprinted to the third floor, and proceeded to scream my head off. "I BREATHE YOU IN WITH SMOKE, THROUGH THE BACKYARD LINES. WE USED TO LAUGH UNTIL WE CHOKED, INTO THE WASTED NIGHTS. IT WAS THE BEST TIME OF MY LIFE, BUT NOW I SLEEP ALONE. SO DON'T GO WAKE ME UP, BECAUSE MY THRILL IS GONE. AND NOW THE SUNSE'S TURNING RED BEHIND THE SMOKE, FOREVER AND ALONE." I skidded around a corner and braced myself against my knees, panting hard. _Gotta by some time, gotta by some time_, I thought to myself, wiping sweat from my forehead. "She's over here!" A man—no, a _parasite_—ran in front of me. He was holding a spray bottle, and I squinted at it—S-L-E-E-P. _Sleeeeeep?_ I thought to myself. _Urgh! I wish I could read on a higher level. Wait. Sle-ep is…sleep. Sleep? OH shit! _I covered my mouth and nose with one hand and raised my gun with the other as the parasite squirted the bottle at me. I pulled the trigger, and the sound reverberated in my ears. I watched numbly as the man slumped to the ground, staring at me with wide eyes as his own blood choked him. I had shot him in the lung. I stumbled away, feeling sick again. I could hear feet thud against the sound as the parasites ran towards their fallen comrade. The first scream snapped me out of my stupor, and I ran towards the stairwell.

"There! There's the human! She's probably going for the others." A voice shouted. I stopped, and whirled around on my heel. Four seekers were following me, the others around their fallen comrade. Gritting my teeth in preparation, I let out four wild shots; two of them hit, and the other two came close. A woman and man parasite fell to the ground, clutching their fresh wounds, and the other two stopped to help the others. I hissed like the pissed-off cat I felt like, and I continued running up the stairs until I hit the roof. The Seekers weren't far behind, but I figured I had about two minutes. I ran around the roof, searching for another exit, a ladder, an escape route, anything. I sat at the edge of the roof, and I heard screaming. I peered down at the parking lot, and I saw Ian dragging Jamie away from the hospital with one arm, and holding a cryotank in the other.

"No! We can't just leave her!" Jamie shrieked, struggling fiercely as Ian dragged him farther and farther away from the hospital. I couldn't see their faces, but I guessed that Ian was pained. They weren't moving fast enough, though. I couldn't help myself from screaming right back. "_Run! Jamie, RUN!_" I screamed at the top of my lungs. Ian and Jamie turned and looked at me. I could see that Jamie's face was wet with tears, and he looked relieved. In that instant, the door behind me burst open, and Seekers surged onto the roof—there were five of them, and I knew there was no way I could shoot all of them—I had only one bullet.

One meager little bullet.

I stared at the gun in my hands. I had shot to kill so many times, but the real viciousness of the gun had never been fully realized for me. I looked up at Jamie, who was screaming for me desperately. I looked back down at the gun placidly.

10. Never let them take you alive.

I waved at Jamie, put the gun to my temple, and pulled the trigger.

**You have permission to utterly despise me.**

**I STAHL LURVE YA! :3**

**Anyway, the two songs used were "Bulletproof Love," by Pierce The Veil (Not too bulletproof in the end, eh? I'M SO HORRIBLE!) the excerpt from the song is, "I breath you in with smoke, in the backyard lines, we used to laugh until we choked, into the wasted nights. It was the best time of my life, but now I sleep alone. So don't go wake me up, because my thrill is gone. And now the sunset's turning red behind the smoke, forever and alone."**

**And "Bulls In The Bronx," also by Pierce The Veil. "Do you know? I count your heartbeats before you sleep, then bite my fingernails to bone. And then I crawl underneath the staircase to a place I call my home."**

**So, you get a virtual cupcake if you actually read the entire thing without skipping anything. **

**If you DID skip, then you get my utter disapproval! D:**

**I AM going to continue the story from this point through another person's eyes, so yah. ****If you don't review, then Bandit rolls in her grave and Jamie gets infected with AIDs. Yeah, I went there.**

**If you DO review, then good things will happen for Jamie…and he won't get STDs XD**

**Follow the story anyway. It makes me feel better around myself :3**

**Review, follow, favorite, anything, please!**

**And I will advertise any stories you have if you do...**

**Okay, thanks! Review if you cried.**

**I didn't cry.**

**Ima stone-cold bitch.**

**Deal with it.**

**(And yeah, I realize that I give myself too much credit; my writing isn't good enough to pull at heartstrings :P)**

**Okay, love ya guys!**

**- Emily**


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